Part 7: Got Shock? How to Train your Brigade for Lethality and Winning in Large Scale Combat Operations

A Guest Post By COL Michael Schoenfeldt (@IRONHORSE6_) and MAJ Patrick Stallings (@DustyStetson9)

This is Part 7 of an 8 Part Series. The full and unredacted article with all enclosures is available on Milsuite at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/abct-training

Company STX and CALFEX

Upon completion of the gap crossing and battalion STX, one company from the battalion proceeds immediately to the CALFEX while the other companies proceed to STX. The battalion establishes its CTCP, MCP, FTCP, and Main CP in their TAA. The FLE or BSA remains established throughout the execution of CALFEX to support units as they train. The battalion retains control of its companies executing company STX. The battalion has responsibility for planning, resourcing, and executing the company STX. The battalion should adopt a similar model as they did for platoon STX, including training on company mounted and dismounted maneuver, changing movement techniques, changing movement formations, movement to contact, attack, hasty defense, breaching, and battle handoff. Cavalry troops should train zone reconnaissance, screen, and reconnaissance handoff.

Part 6: Got Shock? How to Train your Brigade for Lethality and Winning in Large Scale Combat Operations

A Guest Post By COL Michael Schoenfeldt (@IRONHORSE6_) and MAJ Patrick Stallings (@DustyStetson9)

This is Part 6 of an 8 Part Series. The full and unredacted article with all enclosures is available on Milsuite at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/abct-training

Gap Crossing (Battalion STX); setting the stage for CALFEX

After completing platoon LFX, the battalion redeploys to their motor pools and conducts an abbreviated recovery. After a few days, the battalion prepares to deploy to the Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX). This brief recovery period allows all battalions to refit personnel, clean equipment, and conduct unscheduled maintenance. The battalion motor pool serves as the Division Support Activity (DSA), and the battalion receives an OPORD tasking them to deploy to a Tactical Assembly Area (TAA) to defend Atropia from invading Donovian forces. This deployment operation serves as a battalion STX lane, providing the battalion an opportunity to exercise tactical control of multiple companies, assign tasks and purposes to different C2 nodes, and integrate attachments. This battalion STX also prepares the battalion to conduct Reception, Staging, Onward movement, and Integration (RSOI) in a theater of war.

Part 5: Got Shock? How to Train your Brigade for Lethality and Winning in Large Scale Combat Operations

A Guest Post By COL Michael Schoenfeldt (@IRONHORSE6_) and MAJ Patrick Stallings (@DustyStetson9)

This is Part 5 of an 8 Part Series. The full and unredacted article and all enclosures are available on Milsuite at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/abct-training

Platoon Training, Battalion STX, and CALFEX: Maximizing Combined Arms Lethality

The decisive point of the ABCT’s training progression is building lethal companies and platoons which occurs during platoon LFXs and the CALFEX. Much like crew gunnery, these training events involve the integration of all C2 and sustainment nodes. These events require the participation of the entire brigade and battalion staff to synchronize all WfF and forge the brigade into a combat-ready team. Without putting all WfFs together, the brigade cannot function effectively. The purpose of combined arms training is training the synchronized and simultaneous application of arms to achieve an effect greater than if each arm was used separately or sequentially. Combined arms enables the ABCT to overwhelm and destroy enemies on the battlefield. To compress the time required for training and prevent the need to conduct ten days of deliberate recovery after training each echelon, the ABCT should structure training so that the ABCT conducts platoon through battalion training in one continuous block through multi-echelon design.

Part 4: Got Shock? How to Train your Brigade for Lethality and Winning in Large Scale Combat Operations

A Guest Post By COL Michael Schoenfeldt (@IRONHORSE6_) and MAJ Patrick Stallings (@DustyStetson9

This is Part 4 of an 8 Part Series. The full and unredacted article with all enclosures is available on Milsuite at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/abct-training

Lethality Validation Exercises

Exercising CPs and staffs requires a deliberate training approach. Trained staffs enable lethal crews, platoons, and companies to win. The BCT fight requires shaping the enemy in the deep fight and destroying the enemy in close combat with an overwhelming shock through violent, synchronized, combined arms maneuver. Achieving these outcomes requires effective staff at the battalion and brigade. Training staffs and CPs requires regular employment and exercise at echelon. Without regular exercise, CPs will fail to integrate resources or synchronize the fight. For this reason, ABCTs should conduct Lethality Validation Exercises (LVEs) every month where they do not deploy CPs as part of another collective training event. LVEs validate the setup standards, layout, and infrastructure of CPs as a TENTEX, validate communications systems configurations during a COMMEX, train plans sections by conducting tactical MDMP and rehearsing distribution of an Operations Order (OPORD) including all fighting products, and validate that fighting products enable current operations functions during a Command Post Exercise (CPX).

Part 3: Got Shock? How to Train your Brigade for Lethality and Winning in Large Scale Combat Operations

A Guest Post By COL Michael Schoenfeldt (@IRONHORSE6_) and MAJ Patrick Stallings (@DustyStetson9

This is Part 3 of an 8 Part Series. The full and unredacted article with all enclosures is available on Milsuite at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/abct-training

Crew Gunnery: Setting the Foundation for Lethality

The brigade must establish and enforce the ABCT’s gunline. An ABCT consumes tremendous resources on an installation, and crew gunnery is an opportunity to train multiple echelons. The brigade is the headquarters that synchronizes and resources the gunnery and assists battalions in maximizing the multi-echelon training opportunities. While crew gunnery is a brigade training event, individual companies run each range and battalions support the training. The brigade master gunner should draft the gunline, develop the shot sheets, and coordinate for Vehicle Crew Evaluators (VCEs) to evaluate crews outside each battalion during crew Gunnery Table VI (GT VI). The division headquarters must shift red cycle and installation support requirements away from the brigade executing crew gunnery months for it to be a successful training event. Because an ABCT requires so many ranges over a block of time, smaller units on the installation must make the space for the ABCT to train.

Part 2: Got Shock? How to Train your Brigade for Lethality and Winning in Large Scale Combat Operations

A Guest Post By COL Michael Schoenfeldt (@IRONHORSE6_) and MAJ Patrick Stallings (@DustyStetson95)

This is Part 2 of an 8 Part Series. The full and unredacted article with all enclosures is available on Milsuite at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/abct-training

Operationalized Multi-Echelon Training

Time is a finite resource and units cannot simply add requirements to training calendars that are already overloaded. Increasing lethality and the ability of ABCTs to synchronize all WfFs requires multi-echelon training with clearly defined objectives and outcomes. During a properly designed company live-fire certification, an infantry company—the primary training audience— will train on all of its assigned METs. Additionally, that training event provides an opportunity for the parent battalion to establish its own Main Command Post (CP), Tactical Command Post (TAC), Combat Trains Command Post (CTCP), and Field Trains Command Post (FTCP) while validating current operations functions at each node. The company has an opportunity to deploy its CP and company trains. By evaluating the infantry company on its performance while receiving a Logistics Package (LOGPAC) at a Logistics Release Point (LRP) during a service station resupply, the distribution platoon and Forward Support Company (FSC) for the battalion can demonstrate proper tactics and validate their SOPs. The brigade trains the Brigade Aviation Element (BAE) and Fire Support Element (FSE) on managing airspace and de-conflicting fires by incorporating lift aviation, attack aviation, artillery, mortars, Shadow Unmanned Aerial System (UAS), and Raven UAS into the company live fire. Sappers from the Brigade Engineer Battalion (BEB) participate and integrate into the company by conducting a combined arms breach. By executing all of these events at the same time, the ABCT builds readiness and lethality across multiple echelons in one training event.

Part 1: Got Shock? How to Train your Brigade for Lethality and Winning in Large Scale Combat Operations

A Guest Post by COL Michael Schoenfeldt (@IRONHORSE6_) and MAJ Patrick Stallings (@DustyStetson95)

This is Part 1 of an 8 Part Series. The full and unredacted paper with all enclosures is available on Milsuite at https://www.milsuite.mil/book/groups/abct-training

Preface

Cavalry – The cavalry soldier must consider his horse as a part of himself, and the perfect management of the horse cannot be learned either in schools or in a few weeks of practice. If daily exercises are dispensed with, both horse and man return to their natural state, and such mounted men cease to be efficient… Cavalry is indispensable in time of war. It will always take a leading part in pursuing a retreating enemy; it is the proper arm of ordinary reconnaissances; it will always serve as eclaireurs, and as escorts, and should, in the present state of war, carry carbines and be prepared for service on foot. It is weakened and destroyed in a country without forage. Its first cost, its constant maintenance, the defects of its employment, and the system of providing horses make it expensive; but it ought nevertheless to be maintained in a complete state, for its art can only be exercised by men and horses that are properly instructed.

Cavalry Tactics – The individual instruction of men and horses should be regarded as the most important point of the whole system, and should be as simple as possible; the man should be taught to manage his horse with ease and address over all kinds of ground and at all gaits, to swim rivers, to go through certain gymnastic exercise – such as vaulting, cutting heads, to fence, to fire very frequently at a mark, and to handle his weapon with accuracy and effect at all gaits, and in all situations… Insist upon the sabre being kept sharp in the field, provide the men the means of doing so, and lay it down that the strength of the cavalry is in the “spurs and sabre.”

From Military Dictionary: Comprising Technical Definitions; Information on Raising and Keeping Troops; Actual Service; and Law, Government Regulation, and Administration Relating to Land Forces,

by Colonel H.L. Scott, USA, 1861.

Organizational Goals for NTC – From a Former Battalion XO

A Guest Post by MAJ Kevin Krupski

I forget what time it was, but it was dark, and we had finally gotten the semblance of a TOC established “in the box” after a long day leaving the RUBA. I was trying to account for the trail of equipment scattered along the route when the wind picked up – somehow the Ops Group was able to conjure up a dust storm just in time for our push through the “whale’s gap.”  I could not help thinking to myself that this was just the beginning.

Tips for Navigating the AIM Marketplace

A Guest Post by LTC Trey Guy

The relationships between field grade leaders at the battalion level can make or break the ability of a unit to perform in combat. Those who are preparing to take command at the battalion and brigade level owe it to their soldiers to ensure the best possible command climate. With the opening of the AIM Marketplace for the 21-02 movers just a few days ago I thought it might be useful to share my experience. First off, I am not a branch manager nor have I ever worked at HRC and I do not have the information or experience that those professionals have. I am, however, a CSL select Air Defense Officer, slated to take command in the summer of FY21 (21-02 YMAV cycle). Over the last few weeks, the current battalion commander of the unit I will command was gracious enough to allow me to have a large amount of input into who the unit preferences in the AIM Marketplace.

ACFT Prep 3.0/4.0

A Guest Post by Ed Arnston

Now that the ACFT is our official fitness assessment of record, I’ve written – and tested – two additional programs that will help you and your Soldiers prepare for the test.

As I have continually reminded my Soldiers – performing well on the ACFT is important, but the training we conduct to prepare for the ACFT is more important. Soldiers are consistently training lower body strength, core, and work capacity much more often since the ACFT has been introduced. This is excellent and will lead to stronger, more fit Soldiers on the battlefield.